I’m hoping as I share God’s word for me this morning it will encourage you in your 2012 journey.

As I continued to pray about some scripture for the year, I read Jereimiah 1:6-12 I got excited. Here’s what I found for my life.

1. 2012 is a year for no excuses. (Verse 6,7) We can do whatever God asks of us. He is in charge!

2. 2012 is a year for no fear. (verse 8) . Whatever we come face to face with God is with us and will deliver us. He has promised!

3. 2012 is a year of speaking His words. (verse 9) God Himself has spoken and all we have to do is open our mouths (and hearts) to let Him fill us with what He is sending His word to do.

4. 2012 is a year of appointment! Verse 10 tells how. Oversight of the nations and kingdoms. You may not think you have that oversight but you do. You have kingdoms and nations within your own life’s circle. Your family, community, yourself, your church, your finances, etc. It’s time to rise up and take note and exercise the authority you’ve been given.

Verse 10 g0es on to say….. we have been appointed to Root Out and Pull Down. 2012 is a year to dig deep and get rid of the roots that are entangling us and keeping us from our destinies. It is a time to pull down the obstacles that are standing in our path.

2012 is a time to Destroy and Overthrow. It’s time to recognize the enemy and go on the attack to remove his lies from our life. We are in charge not him. What we choose to believe is up to us. What we choose to follow is up to us. We do not have to succumb to his influence….emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually. God is greater! If we want more of what God has for us then we must stand and declare NO MORE to the enemy!

2012 is a year to build and plant. Having cleared out the old places, we can start on level ground. It’s a time to welcome the dreams and begin to put them into place. God will establish the work of our hands.

Sounds like a full appointment to me!

5. 2012 is a the year of the almond tree branch. (verse 11,12) When asked what he saw, Jeremiah answered, “the branch or shoot of an almond tree.” This branch was the emblem of alertness and activity, blossoming in late winter. The Lord commended him for what He said, promising that, “I AM alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.”

For many of us, 2011 was difficult. We’ve needed hope. We’ve needed faith. We’ve needed love. And we’ve needed answers! We’ve done all we could to hang on to God’s promises.

As we enter 2012, unsure about what the year holds, we have this assurance. God is Alert (well aware of our lives and His plans). God is Active (involved in every little itty-bitty detail). God is Watching (over every word He has spoken to see that it is performed).

Regardless of what the year brings, 2012 is a year of Overcoming! How do I know? Because He has appointed us to oversight of everything that is holding us back. We have been granted authority based on His own words and have His promise to perform it! Therefore…..

If God be for us, who can be against us?

Be strong and courageous in the Lord! Watch the walls fall down! AMEN! (So Be It!)

Remember the line from A Few Good Men when Tom Cruise asks Jack Nicholsen to tell the truth on the stand. Jack, vehemently looks at Tom and says, “Truth? You can’t handle the truth?”

Throughout the years, truth has been debated. It’s no different today but as an “older” person, it seems to have changed into a time when all “truth” is what we say it is.

As a Christ follower, what God’s word says is important. Scripture is not something to be used to beat someone up with but it is the roadmap for a life well lived.

James 1 paints two very different portraits of the way people handle the Word (the truth of God). There are two camps of people. The DOERS and the LISTENERS.

In James 1:21-24, a listener is compared to a man who looks in the mirror, sees himself and then goes away and forgets what he looks like. Mmmmmm, I wonder if doing has anything to do with knowing who we are. What do you think?

The problem with listeners, is that they are not living authentically. Instead of obeying the truth, they make excuses and try to reason with it. Verse 22 says they betray themselves and fall into deception. It’s kind of like a teen-ager. Ever known one who told you where you were all wrong, while making excuses for their own behavior?

Think about the TRUTH, (God’s way). If we say we are Christ followers, then we have to follow Christ! We must ask ourselves: Am I walking in His way in my marriage? Am I parenting my kids like He says? Am I following His principles in my job or business? Am I handling my money, my health, my relationships the way He directs me too?

I think the biggest question of all is, “Am I trying to reason with God and His principles and commands to justify my choices?

We can’t truly say we are followers of Christ and ignore a life of true worship. True worship is expressed in the outward actions of our inner lives. A blessed and authentic life is one that handles God’s truth by acting on it!